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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. march — music
  6. dip — to sink
  7. scale — in music
  8. mate — a partner
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. net — after costs
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. band — a ring
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. band — a music group
  17. march — the month
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. scale — size or range
  23. march — the month
  24. dip — to dunk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com